Grammy Nominations Filled With NY State Talent

On Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, the 59th annual Grammy awards commence. Some artists will be catapulted into stardom with their first Grammy win, while some artists will climb towards becoming music legend, and other artists will add another award or awards to their already growing legacies.

With the Grammys right around the corner, NYS Music wanted to pay homage to all the homegrown New York musical talent, and others who have sought out the state of New York to help jump start their musical careers and call the state home.

Many recognizable, and upcoming artists born and raised in New York that have been nominated for a Grammy award include, Brooklyn native Barbara Streisand for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway;Long Island natives De La Soul for Best Rap Album, And the Anonymous Nobody;New Hartford resident Joe Bonamassa for Best Traditional Blues Album, Live at the Greek Theater and from the Bronx, Fat Joe, for Best Rap Performance, for the single “All the Way Up,” which also features Remy Ma, French Montana and Infared.

Other hometown nominees include: Little Louie Vega (Bronx ), for Best Dance/Electronic Album, Louie Vega Starring…XXVIII; guitarist, composer, and arranger Chuck Loeb, (Nyack), for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Unspoken;Brady Rymer and the Little Band that Could (Southold), for Best Children’s Album, Press Play;Sofi Tukker (NYC) for Best Dance Recording for the track “Drinkee;” Catherine Russell (NYC) for Best Jazz Vocal Album, Harlem on My Mind;John Coltrane’s son Ravi (Long Island) for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, “In Movement;” Claire Lynch (Kingston) for Best Bluegrass Album, North by South;Bob Mintzer (New Rochelle) for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, All L.A. Band;Andy Gonzalez (Bronx) for Best Latin Jazz Album, Entre Colegas and Steve Gadd (Rochester) for Best Contemporary Instrumental AlbumWay Back Home: Live From Rochester, NY. Gadd is also James Taylor’s touring drummer.

Kingston’s Claire Lynch

Many artist have ties to New York and though not born in the state, some call it home. Some of these artists include one of the hottest duos on the EDM scene, The Chainsmokers, who are French-born, Westchester-raised Alexander Pall and Andrew Taggart, a Scottish native raised in Maine and a Syracuse University graduate. After graduation, Taggart was part of the SU Music Business program before taking DJ gigs in NYC where he would eventually meet Pall. The Chainsmokers are nominated for Best New Artist, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their single, “Closer,” which also features Halsey on vocals, and for Best Dance Recording for their single, “Don’t Let Me Down,” which features the singer Daya.

Bob Dylan, the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature recipient, used to reside in New York and wrote many of his most influential music while living in Woodstock. Dylan is credited with helping to create the folk scene in Greenwich Village. His contributions stand among some of New York’s most significant musical pieces. Dylan is nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Fallen Angels, and for Best Historical Album, The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: The Bootleg Series, Vol.12 (Collector’s Edition).

Before his passing on Jan. 10, 2016, David Bowie had a residence for many years in Woodstock. Bowie is nominated for five Grammys including Best Rock Performance, Blackstar, Best Rock Song, “Blackstar,” Best Alternative Music Album, Blackstar, Best Recording Package, Blackstar, andBest-Engineered Album, Non-Classical, Blackstar.

Other New York transplants nominated for Grammy awards include Snarky Puppy, for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Culcha Vulcha. You can read NYS Music‘s review of this album here. Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, Real Enemies, andPatti Smith for Best Spoken Word Album, M Train.

About Brian Cornish

"The blues is the roots, the rest is the fruits." - Willie Dixon. Stumbling upon a Howlin' Wolf double album decades ago opened the door to other areas of rock, folk, Americana, and roots music not often heard on the radio in those days. The formula is easy: well-written songs and top notch musicianship. But not everybody can do that. Those that can, I'm interested in capturing in photographs.

About Chad Vergine

Chad is a mobile/dance DJ by trade. He also has been in party planning and room design for corporate events. Chad's love for live concerts now has him trying his hand at music related journalism and concert photography. Chad finds it easy from being a DJ to attend shows out of his comfort zone and still enjoy the night.

About Mike Kohli

Mike is native of Rome, NY with a degree in History/Secondary Education from Utica College. He is a loyal proponent of all things local. Husband. Father. History geek. Music nerd. Beer snob. Vinyl addict. Amateur runner. Spreading the gospel of all things music has always been one of his passions.